LesskeysFind the clipboard on a Mac
The Mac clipboard is not an app or a folder, and on macOS 26 and later Apple documents a clipboard history in Spotlight: press Command-Space, then Command-4. Finder's Edit menu also has a Show Clipboard item: Apple doesn't document it in its help pages, but it is there on current macOS (we checked it on macOS Sequoia and Tahoe).
macOS 13+ on Apple Silicon · No subscription
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Finder menu
How do I see the clipboard on a Mac?
- Click the desktop, so Finder is the app in the menu bar.
- Open the Edit menu.
- Choose Show Clipboard. Apple's help pages do not mention it; we checked it on macOS Sequoia and Tahoe.
- A small window shows what you copied last.
It shows only the current clipboard: the next copy replaces it. Not there? Paste into a blank note with ⌘V.
Spotlight
Spotlight keeps a history on macOS 26
Press ⌘Space, then ⌘4.
The first time, macOS asks to allow search results from Clipboard: choose Allow. Type to search; copy an item again with its button or ⌘C, then ⌘V. More, then Clear History erases it. Apple warns that sensitive information may appear on the clipboard.
No history? Your macOS is likely older than 26 (Apple menu, About This Mac).
Sources: Apple, Search your Clipboard history in Spotlight; How to copy and paste on Mac.
Side by side
Spotlight or a clipboard manager?
| What | Spotlight | Lesskeys |
|---|---|---|
| Needs | macOS 26 or later | macOS 13 or later, Apple Silicon |
| Opens with | ⌘Space ⌘4 | ⇧⌘V in any app |
| Keeps | Text, images, links and files | Text, links, images and files, kept after a restart |
| Clearing | More, then Clear History | In its Settings; pinned items stay |
| Paste back | Copy again, ⌘V | App Store version: choose, then ⌘V. The direct download can paste for you once you allow Accessibility |
Lesskeys stores it on your Mac and sends nothing anywhere. It is not encrypted and saves whatever you copy, so delete a password you copied.
The Lesskeys clipboard history is free: 50 items by default, up to 200. If Spotlight is enough, stay with it. Basics: how to copy and paste on a Mac.
The usual way
Copy, switch, paste, switch back. Four items mean four round trips, and each new copy replaces the last.
With Lesskeys
Copy everything first. Then open the history with ⇧⌘V and paste each item where it belongs.
Illustration with four items. Your time will vary.
Questions
Questions about the Mac clipboard
Is there a clipboard app on a Mac?
No. The clipboard is part of macOS, not an app. On macOS 26 and later, Apple documents a clipboard history you can search in Spotlight. Finder's Edit menu also has a Show Clipboard item: Apple doesn't document it in its help pages, but it is there on current macOS (we checked it on macOS Sequoia and Tahoe).
How do I open the clipboard on a Mac with the keyboard?
On macOS 26 and later, press Command-Space and then Command-4 to open the clipboard history in Spotlight. The first time, macOS asks whether to allow search results from Clipboard; choose Allow. Lesskeys opens its own clipboard history with Shift-Command-V.
How do I clear the clipboard history on a Mac?
In the Spotlight clipboard history, click the More button next to the search field and choose Clear History. In Lesskeys, clear the history in its Settings; pinned items are kept.
Can I see my clipboard history on a Mac before macOS 26?
Not with macOS alone: before macOS 26 the clipboard holds only the last thing you copied. A clipboard manager such as Lesskeys keeps a history and works from macOS 13.
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